Resilience and active coping style: Effects on the self-reported quality of life in cancer patients

Objective This study aimed to assess the association between resilience, active coping styles and the self-perceived quality of life in cancer patients. Additionally, we evaluated the contribution brought to quality of life by demographic variables (age, gender, occupational status) and medical ones (tumour, node and metastasis [TNM] stage, time from diagnosis, number of treatment lines). Methods The study design was cross-sectional. One hundred and seventy-eight patients (94 males, 84 females; mean age 56.20, SD = 7.81) consecutively admitted to two specialty hospitals in Bucharest and displaying TNM cancer stages II-IV were administered the Brief COPE Questionnaire, the RS-14 Resilience Scale and the Rotterdam symptom checklist. Hierarchical regression was used to analyze the relationship between the study variables and the quality of life components (physical distress, psychological distress, and the ability to remain active). Results The quality of life scores were within the average limits, despite 87.6% of patients being in an advanced cancer stage. Both resilience and active coping scores were in the higher range (resilience mean = 78.10, SD = 13.31, 95%CI = 76.14-80.06; active coping mean = 18.33, SD = 4.39, 95%CI = 17.68-18.98). Resilience correlated significantly with all quality of life components (global: p < .001, physical distress: p < .04, psychological distress: p < .0005, activity level: p < .03), whereas active coping did it only indirectly, via resilience. Among other variables, occupational status and time from diagnosis correlated inversely to two of quality of life components, and TNM stage to all. Conclusions This study points out the importance of resilience in influencing the self-perception of quality of life in cancer patients. Considering that resilience can be improved through psychological intervention, our findings may be useful for the design, adjustment, and implementation of future psychotherapeutic protocols.